The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-01-06
Trial for Heresy.

IA P-SsoAN---'e'
in Boston. 1t is the trial of four OF the |
Professors of Andover Theological Col |
lege for heresy, viz: Profs. Smyth, |
Hincks, Tuckner and Harris A test |
is being made of the case of Profess
sor Smyth The ground of the arragn- |
ment is that these professors have as
serted the belief that there is a probation
state for the heather after death. who has
not been taught in this life that there is
Christ or who has not had opportunity to
accept Christ. The Andover creed as
sumes that punishment OF reward COM
mences Immediately after death, and as
the soul passes out of the body its fate
and destiny are instantly fixed without the
possibility of modification. 1t is the old
notion about hell-fire-a burning lake of
birthstone.
Without pretending to discuss the be.
lief of these professors as to the probation
state of the heather, or the purgatory
state of the Catholics, or the different
stages of progress to spiritual perfection.
which the Buddhists maintain, until Mir
vana is reached, it seems strange that in
this enlightened age dissent from any par
ticular creed of mans devlsement should
be considered heresy, and the subject OF
punishment by those claiming to be ortho-
dox. While church government and
church forms may be necessary as a means
of getting together all who may believe in
certain methods of worship, we do not
think they are essential to proper under
standing and acceptance of the great cen
trail truth of the Atonement-the efficacy
of the Cross in the remission of sins. The
forms of worship of no christian church
are inconsistent with or essential to con-
fiding faith in the Redeemer. They are
means to an end, but neither inexoraOle or
infallible. Their acceptance is more the re-
suit of early training and association than
a deep philosophical study of their abso-
lutte necessity. 1t is given to no man, ac-
cording to our opinion, to penetrate the
veil that hides eternity and h,aoao whether
there be state of probation or not. From
finite standpoint there is much in rea-
son to support the conclusion CT the Of
Tending professors, and as creeds and
forms are simply the deductions of men.
and not essential to faith in the Atonement,
it seems to us it is waste of time and
intolerant bigotry to enter upon such pro
ceedings as are now being conducted be-
| fore the Andover Visitors. What do the
orthodox or hetrodox professors know be-
yond the grave ? Their business Is to
live lives of humility, charity, love and
forgiveness while on earth-to teach by
example as well as precept these graces,
and not to wrangle and snarl and contend
over something it is not given them to
comprehend. It may be an occasion for
the display of metaphysical polemics, rich
erudition and enviable requirements in re-
llgious literature, but this is not belief
with the heart unto righteousness, nor an
absorption of the spiritual being in the
great central truth of the Atonement.
The Andover professors are deEionstrat-
ing in their strife and contention that they
are merely board of learned bigots, and
are doing more to bring reproaeh upon the
cause of christianity than they are to re-
1 buke heresy, or promote the interests of
genuine religion. They, like many other
Journalists and professors. are proving
1 themselves to be stumbling blocks in the
way of the simple and unlettered, instead
of following the example of Him who
! invited Jew and Gentle, Pharisee and
Sadducee, and all who would, to come unto
| Him and drink of the waters Of life freely
without money and without price. Wesley
and Wilberforce and Malancthon, Calvin
and Lutheg, broke away from forms under
| the inspired conviction that there was
something above forms and ceremonies in
the Religion of the Cross, and which lifted
it above ereeds and doctrines, hoary
with the dust of ages. 1t was a some
thing which touched the heart, that vi
brated the moral and emotional being, and
could not be restrained or satisfied by
cold formalities and crystalized usages.
They sought to simplify the approaches to
the Cross, and yet they fell into forms
themselves, which are no more binding
than those they abandoned. They are of
human devisement and unless they lead
more directly to the hearts solace and
comfort and yearnings, they should be as
readily disowned as those which the great
Reformers counted as nothing in the
great erk of mans redemption.
1